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#74610 - 02/09/01 09:14 AM G707 with newer GK2a pickup?
single_digit Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 01/20/00
Posts: 19
Loc: Fayetteville, AR, USA
I've recently bought a gr700/707 combo, and was wandering how easy/wise it would be to get into the newer pickup and more midi-implemented guitar synths. I really like the look and play of the 707, so I was thinking about trying to put a newer gk2a pickup on in place of the gk1. My hope is that I can get better tracking with the newer modules, as well as pitch bend, and access to more channels than the gr700's "only midi channel 1 design". If anyone has attempted this, please let me know what your comments on the subject are.
Thanks

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#74611 - 02/19/01 04:37 AM Re: G707 with newer GK2a pickup?
BiiJ William Absent Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 02/14/01
Posts: 8
Loc: Athens Ohio USA
HEh! That is *quite* an interesting subject.
My email is absent@frognet.net
let me know what you find out!I own a GM 70 (essentially the outboard version , same hardware) of your synth. I agree that it's both an awesome guitar, and stylish to boot.
The thing I would be worried about is making sure you don't sacrifice the enhancements particular to the 707, such as the touch sensitive pickup functionality switching, etc.
There are rumors that you can match the pinouts up, and "make a cable" to use some older rolands with newer controllers, but this wouldn't apply to you I dont think.
My suggestion would be find out if the the yokes (individual pickups) in the hex pickups have the same output/impedence
as each other.
You'd have get a GK-2a or ah or whatever pickup or whatever version the poor manual translators at Roland (bless their hearts) are hawking this week, and replace the midi pickup on the 707 with the GK.
SOunds simple enough? Well, IMHO, you'll have to then get pinouts (diagrams that say what each wire does) for the cable, and splice the new pickup to the old outputs.
mount the new gk-2a(x) control box on the surface, or CAREFULLY select a spot in the body and rout it and have it installed...I suggest setting it up so that the cable comes out of the side instead of the top if possible. This in theory will enable you to use one pickup to control both synths!
I also would suggest enlisting a good tech who will be willling to accept the project as a cool and fun thing(not just someone "willing to do it"; remeber, most folks still look upon our axe-synths as illegitimite bastards instruments).
Nothing sucks like extreme custom work done by fools who don't care.
OK, so anyway,I suggest finding a way to get the "black box" for the GK mounted internally.
This way you could still out put midi controll signals from BOTH synths at once, including program change, continuous controller data, etc!
And it INCEREASES the value of the 707.

William Price
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#74612 - 02/19/01 09:19 AM Re: G707 with newer GK2a pickup?
single_digit Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 01/20/00
Posts: 19
Loc: Fayetteville, AR, USA
Actually it turns out theres an easier way. Roland at one time made the BC-13 bus converter which was an adapter that converts 24 pin signal (the old roland cable type) to the newer 13 pin signal so that you can drive newer guitar synths. This would preclude the need to replace the GK1 pickup. However the BC13 is just shy of extinct. So who knows if any of us will ever be able to find one.
The only other reason I could see for replacing the GK1 with a GK2A would be if there is some sort of performance difference b/n the two, and I'm betting there isn't.

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